1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lever coupling type connector in which female and male connector housings each having multiple poles are coupled with or uncoupled from each other by a small force by a revolution of a lever (action of lever) and more particularly to a coupling detecting structure of a lever coupling type connector, having a coupling detecting means and the like for confirming whether or not both the connector housings are completely coupled with each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 5-8882 has disclosed this kind of the coupling detecting structure of a lever coupling type connector. A lever coupling type connector for use in this coupling detecting structure comprises a synthetic resin male connector housing in which a pair of engaging pins are erected in the center of upper and lower faces thereof and a pair of connecting state detecting terminals are provided on a rear portion of both sides of the upper and lower faces, a synthetic resin female connector housing with which the male connector housing is to be coupled, a synthetic resin, U-shaped lever rotatably supported by the upper and lower faces of the female connector housing through each supporting shaft, a contact piece which is a conductive piece inserted in each slit on both side portions of the lever and a connector connection detecting circuit connected to the pair of the connecting state detecting terminals through lead wire.
Furthermore, an arc-shaped eccentric cam groove in which each engaging pin is to be inserted is formed around each supporting shaft on both the side portions of the lever. The U-shaped contacting piece made of conductive material is inserted in each slit inside both the side portions of the lever. Both ends of this contacting piece are contact points.
Then, if each engaging pin of the male connector housing is inserted into each eccentric cam groove of the lever supported rotatably by the female connector housing and the lever is revolved toward the side of the male connector housing, each engaging pin of the male connector housing is moved along each eccentric cam groove of the lever, so that the male connector housing and female connector housing each having multiple poles are coupled with each other. When both the connector housings are coupled with each other, each contact points of the U-shaped contacting piece provided between both the side portions of the lever comes into contact with each contact point of a pair of the connecting state detecting terminals . By this contact, a connector connection detecting circuit is actuated turning on a light emitting diode or dispatching a connection complete detection signal so as to inform that both the connector housings are completely coupled with each other.
However, because in the aforementioned conventional lever coupling type connector, the U-shaped contacting piece is installed to each slit of both the side portions of the lever, the coupling of both the connector housings cannot be confirmed steadily because the contacting piece is often loose off the connecting state detecting terminal. Further, because the connecting state detecting terminal, the metallic conductive contacting piece and components of the connector connection detecting circuit are indispensable to confirm the coupling of both the connector housings the number of the necessary parts increases so that production cost also increases. Further, because such a special circuit wire as lead wire for connecting the connecting state detecting terminal with the connector connection detecting circuit is necessary, the production cost increases correspondingly.